File drawer divider

ABSTRACT

A file drawer divider or sectionalizer made of bent wire that is bent to provide a horizontally extending support portion and a vertically extending frame portion extending upwardly from one side of the horizontally extending support portion. The wire is bent and made of one piece by continuous bending starting from one edge of the horizontal portion and running horizontally with bent and vertically upwardly downwardly and over to the opposite end of the horizontal portion to provide an intermediate backing or support portion with the runs of wire crossing one another to provide the intermediate portion. In order to support the depending intermediate portion against horizontal displacement and fixed to the forward run thereof is a triangular shaped wire that extends horizontally and is connected between the intermediate portion and the forward run of the horizontal portion. The wire runs are joined by welding. The wire frame dividers can be assembled one in front of the other and joined by an elongated rigid plate or strip adapted to be extended through the intermediate portions to align opposing notches on the edges of the strip with the parallel depending runs of the wires of the intermediate portion.

United States Patent Chamberlin [451 July 11, 1972 [54] FILE DRAWER DIVIDER Coleman R. Chamberlin, PO. Box 84, New Windsor, NY. 12550 [72] Inventor:

[52] U.S.Cl ..21l/1l,21l/43,2l1/l06, 312/185 [51 Int. Cl ..B65d 83/08, A47f 5/ l 1 [58] Field of Search ..220/22, 22.2, 22.4; 108/61, 108/1 10; 21 Ill 1, 42, 43, 50,106, 162,184; 312/185 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,885,085 5/1959 Chamberlin ..211/1O 3,269,547 8/1966 Chamberlin ..21l/43 X 2,876,780 3/1959 Vogel ..211/50 X Primary Examiner--Casmir A. Nunberg Attorney-Polachek, Saulsbury & Hough ABSTRACT A file drawer divider or sectionalizer made of bent wire that is bent to provide a horizontally extending support portion and a vertically extending frame portion extending upwardly from one side of the horizontally extending support portion. The wire is bent and made of one piece by continuous bending starting from one edge of the horizontal portion and running horizontally with bent and vertically upwardly downwardly and over to the opposite end of the horizontal portion to provide an intermediate backing or support portion with the runs of wire crossing one another to provide the intermediate portion. In order to support the depending intermediate portion against horizontal displacement and fixed to the forward run thereof is a triangular shaped wire that extends horizontally and is connected between the intermediate portion and the forward run of the horizontal portion. The wire runs are joined by welding. The wire frame dividers can be assembled one in front of the other and joined by an elongated rigid plate or strip adapted to be extended through the intermediate portions to align opposing notches on the edges of the strip with the parallel depending runs of the wires of the intermediate portion.

2Claims,9DrawingFigures PATENTEU HL 11 m2 3. 675.781

SHEET 1 OF 2 FIG.3.

INVENTOR.

COLEMAN R. CHAMBERLIN A TTUR/Vf Y5 PATENTEDJUL H m2 3.675.781

SHEET 2 or 2 77 Z53 F|G.5.

' INVENTOR. COLEMAN R. CHAMBERLIN ATTURNEYS FILE DRAWER DIVIDER This invention relates to wire frame dividers for otfice file drawers.

It is a principal object of the present invention to provide a wire frame divider for file drawers which is formed and bent from a minimum number of wires and wherein the intermediate depending extension from the vertical upright portion of the divider has spaced vertical extending runs that are crossed with one another at their upper ends and joined by welding after having provided a depending loop adapted to receive the file drawer longitudinally extending rod that is normally used for retaining the indexing cards in place in the file drawer against outward displacement.

It is another object of the invention to provide a wire frame divider having a horizontal bottom support portion and an upstanding vertical divider portion for the file drawer which the horizontal portion includes a triangular shaped wire frame provided with a forward loop for receiving the file rod and connected to depending intermediate loop of the upstanding divider portion of the wire frame, whereby the wire frame divider will be made of two wire frame parts in which the wire of each part are bent to provide openings through which the file drawer rod can be extended to support and hold down the dividers in the drawer files.

It is still another object of the invention to provide hold down means for the wire divider sections of this type having vertically extending spaced vertical runs in the upstanding divider portion of the divider trough which a plate can be extended that has opposing notches such that they receive the sides of the wire runs and so that the dividers are held against longitudinal displacement on a flat surface and wherein the plate will be held down by files extended over the elongated connecting plate and the entire assembly of several dividers thereby supported within the file drawer and substantially the same effectiveness as with a rod extending through loops to hold the dividers in place within a file drawer.

Other objects of the invention are to provide wire frame dividers for file drawers, having the above objects in mind, which are inexpensive to manufacture, simple in construction, easy to bend and weld, made from a minimum number of wire parts, rugged and rigid, easy to assemble into a file drawer, will effectively hold the files in place and when so assembled into the files or together make for a complete sectionalizer of the drawer, light in weight and effective and efficient in use.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a wire frame divider constructed from two wires provided with loops to receive a file drawer rod for retaining the divider in place therewithin.

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the divider as viewed on line 2-2 of FIG. 1 with illustration being shown as to how the file drawer rod is assembled through the depending loops of the divider.

FIG. 3 is a top perspective view of several divider units being assembled by a file drawer rod within a file drawer.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view taken through the bottom of the drawer and the rod that extends through the depending intermediate part of the upright divider portion of the divider.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of a set of dividers formed of multiple wire parts but illustrating the manner in which the dividers may be assembled on the bottom of a file drawer wherein no provision is had for receiving the file drawer rod, the divider being formed of right and left sections multiple parts and joined together by welding joined ends of the parts.

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the elongated notched bar serving to join the dividers together in lieu of the drawer file rod.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view looking upon the rear portion of the divider and with illustration being made as to the manner in which the elongated notched plate is assembled between the vertically extending parallel runs of the intermediate portion of the divider, the view being taken on line 7-7 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of the rear portion of the wire divider with illustration being made as to the manner in which the notched plate is lowered between the vertical runs of the intermediate portion of the divider to locate the plate for alignment of its notches with the upstanding vertical runs.

FIG. 9 is a similar perspective view showing the notched plate assembled to the divider with the vertical runs lying within the notches of the plate.

Referring now particularly to FIGS. 1 to 4, 10 represents generally a wire frame divider which is formed of two wire frames indicated generally at 11 and 12, the frame 11 serving to join together forward and rearward portions of the frame 12 to provide the full wire frame divider 10. The wire frame 12 is formed of a continuous wire from end to end and generally provides for the divider, the wire frame 11 being added merely for stiffening and for the provision of a depending loop 13 through which a file drawer rod 14 of a file drawer 15 will be extended to hold down the forward edge of the divider.

The frame 12 has a horizontal portion 16 and an upstanding vertical divider portion 17 that has an intermediate loop formed of the wire as indicated at 18 for receiving the file drawer rod 14 for effecting the complete assembly of the divider 10 into the file drawer 15 so that it will be retained against upward displacement from the forward edge of the horizontal portion 16 and from the rearward edge of this portion and the upward displacement of the vertical portion 17 and thereby the divider being held down in two longitudinally spaced locations.

The frame 12 is made of a wire starting at an end joining point 19 for the wire, extends laterally for a front run 20, bent rearwardly at 21 to provide a rearwardly extending horizontal run 22 and then bent upwardly at 23 to provide for upwardly extending vertical run 24, and at its upper end at 25 to provide a top horizontal run 26, that is bent downwardly and inwardly at 27 to provide an intermediate inclined run 28 from a bend 29 of which vertically extending intermediate run 30 depends to provide at its lower end the opening or loop 18 through which the rod 14 is extended and upwardly from which at 31 to provide a parallel vertically extending run that is bent at 32 at its upper end to provide an upwardly and laterally extending inclined run 33 that is joined with the opposing incline run 28 by welding 34 to rigidify the intermediate portions of the upwardly extending parts 17 of the divider. From the upper end of the inclined run 33 the wire is bent at 35 to extend laterally along run 36 and then bent downwardly at 37 to provide a depending side run 38 corresponding to the side run 24, and then bent forwardly at 39 to provide a horizontal opposite side run 41 of the horizontal portion 16, a bend 42 with a forward horizontal run 43 so that the end of the wire is joined with the horizontal run 20 at 19 to have provided in one complete bending of wire the major part 12 of the divider.

The spacing part 1 l which has the depending loop 13 is also formed of one wire starting at a joint 44 extending laterally along a run 45 and acute angle bend 45, run 46, downward bend and weld at 46' to provide loop 13 then upwardly for weld 47' to provide run 47, opposing acute angle bend 47" and horizontal run 48 joining at 44 with the end of the horizontal run 45. The rear of this small frame 11 is welded at 48 to the upstanding run 30 and a run 45 is welded at 49 to the upstanding run 31. It should be apparent that main divider wire portion providing for horizontal and vertical part 16 and 17 is made from one wire, portions of which are crossed with one another and welded to provide a depending loop centrically of the vertical portion 17 as at 18 through which a rod could be extended through which the rear runs of part 11 are joined to space the forward runs 20 and 43 therefrom and the wire frame 11 providing for the depending loop opening 13 for the rod 14. When these dividers are assembled they will be locked at the forward and rearward edges and against dis placement from the file drawer 15. The crossing of the oppositely inclined runs 28 and 33 when welded at 34 make for a rigid and solid assembly of the wire as well as permitting the assembly from a single wire of the major portion 12 of the divider. If the loops 13 and 18 were dispensed with this divider could be used on a plain bottom file drawer.

Referring now particularly to FIGS. to 9, 50 represents a single wire frame member that when coupled to other similar shaped frame members by a flat longitudinally extending and notched bar 51 will serve to divide a drawer not having a rod extending from the front drawer panel to the rear panel and which is ordinarily used for the retaining of index cards usually identifying the letter of the alphabet and indicating where files according to the name marked thereon will be filed. Preferably these wire frame members 50 serve to sectionalize the drawer file. Of course the joined members 50 as shown in FIG. 5 could be used on a flat surface of a desk and serve as a handy sectional desk organizer.

These wire frame members 50 can be made in two parts 52 and 53 and then joined together by welding the bottom runner ends at the front as indicated at 54 and at the rear as indicated at 55 in order to consolidate the two parts 52 and 53 into a single part. These parts are also welded on their vertically extending portions by oppositely inwardly bent vertical members 56 and 57 at a central location as indicated at 58.

Each of the parts 52 and 53 are mode of two wires, one of which, such as shown at 52, starts with a forward runner 59, bent rearwardly at 61 with a rearwardly extending runner 62, bent upwardly at 63 for providing an upright portion 64 and its upper end bent at 65 laterally and providing a top portion 66 that is bent intermediate its lateral extent at 67 to provide a downwardly and inwardly declined portion 68 providing for a bend 69 for union with the upright portion 56. A second member 71 is attached by welding at 72 to the underside of the bottom and forward run 59 and extending rearwardly to provide an acute angle bend 72 to provide a short inwardly extending arm 73 to which the lower end of the upright portion of the wire 56 is joined by welding at 74, thereby making for a complete part 52.

The part 53 is similarly constructed but provides for the right side and is bent in opposite directions to provide a part that can be joined endwise by welding of the parts together at 55, 54 in a end and abutting wire relationship and at 69 to provide the completed sectionalizer or wire frame member. The right part 53 has the forward lateral run 76 whose inner end is welded at 54 to the inner end of the forward run 59 of the part 52, and this run 76 has a right angle bend 77 to provide a rearwardly extending run 78 and is bent upwardly at 79 to provide a vertically extending rear brace or support portion 80 at the upper end of which it is bent at 81 to provide a laterally extending portion 82 that is bent at an oblique angle 83 to provide a downwardly and inwardly extending portion 84 thereof which provides for a sharp bend 85 that is joined at 58 with the opposing sharp bend 69 of the part 52 as by welding then downwardly along the portion 57. A second wire part of simple bend is joined at the lower end of the vertical portion 57 by welding at 86 which part is actually joined at 55 with the end of the corresponding part 73 of the left part 52 and this member bends laterally outwardly at 87 and with an acute angle bend 88 provides for a bottom run 89 that is joined by welding at 91 to the forward run 76 of the part 53. It would be noted that the two runs 71 and 89 of the bottom wires tapered forwardly and inwardly so that their ends 72 and 91 are close together and near to the weld 54 at distances much less then the length of the wire portions 73 and 87 which are joined at These wire frame members or sectionalizers 50 made of these two parts 52 and 53 can be joined together in the same manner as above described, but separate and apart from the rod of the drawers that extend longitudinally centrally through the bottom of a file drawer, by the notched bar 51 that is suitable to join together three of these frame members 50. At the exact spacings as at the forward end are opposing notches 92 and 93 and at the opposite end 94 and 95 serving to join the metal plate 51 to the two end frame members 5 The intermediate frame member 50 will be retained by notches 96 and 97 that are intermediate the length of the member 51.

The notched member 51 has the notches equi-distant apart, and as you will see in FIGS. 7 and 8, the plate is assembled upon the wire frame members or sectionalizers by simply in serting the plate edgewise between vertically extending portions 56 and 57 of each of the wire frame members 50 as seen in FIG. 8 and then twisting the same so that their respective notches of the plate 51 unites at the lower end with the wire portions 56 and 57 and rests over the welded together ends of the inner runners 73 and 87 as shown in FIG. 9. In this manner an assembly of three frame members 50 held together as shown in FIG. 5. Another set of three wire frame members 50 can be similarly assembled and used in the same file drawer.

By the provision of a divider with depending loops for accommodating a file drawer rod it will be seen that the construction permits for the main portion 12 of the divider being made from but a single wire with its ends joined at 19 and that the depending loop 18 is effected by a crossing of the opposing inclined runs 28 and 33 and making for an easy welding and more rigid construction at the joining of these runs 28 and 33 in this manner rather than in abut welding as in the second form of the divider as indicated at 58. The advantage of the first form of the invention over the second form is that assembly is more or less made of continuous wires rather than separate wire parts that have to be preassembled before the entire divider can be put together. In other words according to the second form of the invention four different wire parts are used requiring separate bending and joining with one another to provide the complete divider assembly. In the first form of the invention there are but two wire parts and this being made possible for the need for a depending loops to accomodate the file drawer rod 14.

What is claimed is:

1. A wire frame divider or sectionalizer for file drawers, comprising a horizontally extending bottom support portion and an upstanding divider portion which includes an intermediate depending member, said horizontal portion including a spacing frame joining the intermediate portion and the forward edge of the horizontal portion, said intermediate means of the upstanding horizontally extending assembly member extending between the spacings of the intermediate means of the upstanding portion and connected the same to retain an assembly of two or more of the dividers together within a file drawer; said means for securing two or more of the dividers together including an elongated plate, the notches receiving opposing vertical runs of the intermediate depending means of the upright portion of the divider whereby to hold the dividers against longitudinal displacement from one another and in assemblage for use in a file drawer.

2. A wire frame divider or sectionalizer for file drawers, as defined in claim 1, and said intermediate means of the verti cally extending portion including opposingly inclined runs welded together in crossed relationship with one another. 

1. A wire frame divider or sectionalizer for file drawers, comprising a horizontally extending bottom support portion and an upstanding divider portion which includes an intermediate depending member, said horizontal portion including a spacing frame joining the intermediate portion and the forward edge of the horizontal portion, said intermediate means of the upstanding horizontally extending assembly member extending between the spacings of the intermediate means of the upstanding portion and connected the same to retain an assembly of two or more of the dividers together within a file drawer; said means for securing two or more of the dividers together including an elongated plate, the notches receiving opposing vertical runs of the intermediate depending means of the upright portion of the divider whereby to hold the dividers against longitudinal displacement from one another and in assemblage for use in a file drawer.
 2. A wire frame divider or sectionalizer for file drawers, as defined in claim 1, and said intermediate means of the vertically extending portion including opposingly inclined runs welded together in crossed relationship with one another. 